Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Generating Station Bulk Excavation and Civil Works

H.J. O'Connell was the lead in the joint venture, IKC-ONE Earthwork Constructors consortium, which included the participation of the Labrador Innu. The contract included overburden and rock excavation of the intake, powerhouse, spillway, separation wall, switchyard and converter stations and dams at the site of the 824 megawatt hydroelectric generating station in central Labrador.

The team worked around-the-clock to complete the project before the winter months with a crew of 400 employees along with 200 pieces of equipment. Almost 300,000 linear metres of rock was drilled with 75 to 165 millimetre holes for blasting. The rock removal commenced at 20 metres above the river level and concluded at 32 metres below water level. In addition 150,000 cubic metres of earthfill cofferdams and 37,000 cubic metres of roller compacted concrete cofferdams were built.

At the completion of the project, over 2.7 million cubic metres of earth was moved, over 1.8 million cubic metres of rock blasting and removal was completed, and 15,000 cubic metres of underwater rock was removed.